Chest supported firearm



Dec. M, 1937.

M. A. ELKINS CHEST SUPPORTED FIREARM Filed March 9, 193.7 2 Sheets-Shea?I l MEZZI/i725 M, 1937. M. A. ELKINS 2w2568 CHEST SUPPORTED FIRERM lFiled March 9, 1937 2 sheets-sheet 2 Patented Dec. 14, 1937 UNITED STATES PATENT GFFECE CHEST SUPPORTED FIREARM N. Mex.

Application March 9, 1937, Serial No. 129,911

7 Claims.

This invention relates to firearms and particularly to a firearm designed to be worn upon the chest of a person and rire-d by a motion of the arms.

The firearm which I have devised is particularly intended to be worn by watchmen, bank messengers, mail clerks, and those who are fearful of being or are likely to be held up.

The usual initial command of a bandit is "hands up and one of the objects of the present invention is to provide a concealed firearm supported on the chest of the wearer beneath the clothing, which will be fired upon an upward movement of one hand, the other hand, or both.

Another object is to provide a safety means for latching the mechanism against ring action and which must be released before the arm can be red.

Other objects will appear in the course of the following description.

My invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings wherein:

Figure 1 is a face View of a rearm constructed in accordance with my invention;

Figure 2 is a longitudinal section on the line 2 2 of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a longitudinal section on the line 3 3 of Figure l;

Figure 4 is a face view of the rear section, the front section being removed;

Figure 5 is a vertical section on the line 5 5 of Figure 2.

In these drawings, IS designates a rectangular front section of the gun and II the back section. These sections are detachabl-y hel-d to each other b-y screws. The gun formed of the connected sections is supported on the chest by arm-pit straps I2, which buckle in the back, and by straps I3 which extend over the shoulders and across the back like Suspenders, and may be attached to the waistband of the trousers.

The front section lll is at on its inside face and may be convexly curved on its outer face but is formed to provide an upper set of cartridge chambers and a lower set. Each chamber is designated It. Engaged in each chamber is a removable adapter l5, each adapter being formed to receive a cartridge of a certain calibre, thus one adapter will receive a i2-calibre cartridge and another will receive a l-calibre cartridge, etc. The adapters may be changed to suit the calibre of cartridges desired to be used. I have illustrated two rows of cartridge chambers, one disposed below the other, but obviously my device is adapted to use either one or more sets of cartridge chambers. The front section I0 is held to the rear section by screws or any other suitable means.

ie rear section I I has a flat outer face and a concavely curved inner face to approximately conform to the curvature of the chest. Extending inward from opposite ends of section II are the bores or chambers l5 and I6. The chamber I5 is at a higher level than I6, because of the fact that the two sets of cartridge chambers are disposed at different levels. The same mechanism is used for ring each set of cartridges and, therefore, a description of one set of mechanisms will be equally descriptive of the other.

Extending longitudinally parallel to but in iront of and intersecting each chamber I5 is a slot or guideway Il, and disposed at right angles to each slot Il are a plurality of ring pins I8 equal in number to the cartridge chambers, in that row or set.

I9 mounted upon a plate 2D attached to the section Il by the screws 20a.

Disposed within each slot Il is a slide rod or plunger 2l having on its underface a plurality of cam projections 22. At its outer end, each plunger is carried by a head 23, each head being disposed within the corresponding chamber I5 or I5. A light compression spring 2'4 in this chamber I5 urges the head inward and then 'yieldingly holds the plunger at the inner end of its stroke with the cams 22 projected beyond the ring pins I8. The spring bears at its outer end against a plug 25. Attached to each head 23 and extending out through the plug 25 is a rod 26 terminating in a ring 26a.

Mounted within the respective chambers 21 at opposite ends oi' the section II are the sears 28, each sear being mounted for vertical movement and being capable of being disposed immediately in advance of the corresponding head 23 to hold this head in a retracted position against the ac-V tion of the corresponding spring 24. Each sear 28 is pivoted to a lever 29 constituting a trigger, the lever being pivoted on a pin 3B. The weight of the longer arm of lever 29 is suflicient to raise the sear into its latching position, but a spring might be used for this purpose. From each trigger 29 a cord 3| extends to the corresponding Wrist of the wearer or to the Wristband of his shirt or coat, thus when the cord 3l is pulled upon by the action of lifting the arm, the corresponding sear is released from its latching engagement with the head, the head is projected by the spring 24, and the cam projections 22 These are supported bysprings j Lil force the ring pins inward, thus exploding the cartridges.

Disposed in longitudinally extending bores in the section I l, these bores opening into the chambers 21, are the safety latches 32. These are projected by the springs 33 into engagement with shoulders carried by the sears and thus hold the sears against downward movement, that is, movement away from the firing mechanism. Each safety latch 32 is connected by a link 34 to a releasing rod 35 extending upward through a bore in the section I! and terminating in an eye which may be connected by a cord 36 to the necktie. Y

In all the gures I have shown the plungers 2! as having been fully projected and as having iired the cartridges in the cartridge chambers l5, it being understood, of course, that in Figures 2 and 3, if the cartridges had not been fired, the plungers 2i would be retracted as would Ybe the heads 23, and that in Figure 5, the sears 28 would, under these circumstances, be projected in front of the heads 23.

The operation of the device, assuming that it is supported on the chest of the wearer, is as follows:

Of course, the gun is entirelyconcealed by the clothing and the cartridge chambers are previouly loaded. Normally, the plungers 2| are retracted and held in retractedposition against accidental movement out of engagement with the plungers by the latches 32 of the safety means. If now the cord 3 be pulled, the latches are withdrawn from their safety position and the trigger levers are free to move. Now if one or both arms are raised, the cord or cords 3l attached to the wristbands of the coat or shirt will pull the sears out of engagement with the'corresponding head, the springs 24 will project the plunger and the cam projections will engage the firing pins, projecting them against and discharging the cartridges.

While I have illustrated the cam projections` 22 as being equi-distantly spaced along the plunger 2 l, it is to be understood that these cam projections need not be equi-distantly spaced but may be disposed so that they will operate successively so that the cartridges may be discharged successively from any one row.

Preferably the cord 36, as before stated, will be attached to the necktie, the tie being manually pulled upward preparatory to ring the gun. The necktie may be pulled upward as if accidently, at the time when the hands are being raised, this action, of course, releasing the safety latches 32. It is to be understood, however, that this cord 35 might be attached tov any portion of the clothes of the user which Vwill be raised or pulled upward, either intentionally or upon the upward movement of the arm or arms. Inasmuch as in case of a hold-up, the victim is usually confronted by the bandit at very short range, there will be no necessity of aiming the gun.

What is claimed is:-

1. A firearm of the character described, including a body adapted to be supported on vthe chest, a cartridge holding chamber formed in the body and opening toward the front of the body, a ring pin disposed behind the chamber, a plunger disposed behind the rear end of the cartridge chamber and having a cam projection engaging with the ring pin to project it, a sear operatively engaging saidplunger and holding it with its cam projection out of engagement with the firing pin, a spring urging the plunger in a direction to engage the cam projection with the ring pin, and a cord operatively engaged with the sear and adapted to be connected to the arm of the wearer, an upward movement of the arm placing the cord under tension, releasing said sear and allowing the projection of the ring pin.

2. A rearm of the character described, including a body adapted to be supported on the chest, a cartridge holding chamber formed in the body and opening toward the front of the body, a firing pin disposed behind the chamber, a plunger disposed behind the rear end of the cartridge chamber and having a cam projection engaging with the ilring pin to project it when the plunger is shifted in c-ne direction, a sear operatively engaging said plunger and holding it with its cam proection out of engagement with the firing pin, a spring urging the plunger in a direction to engage the cam projection with the i firing pin, a cord operatively engaged with the sear and adapted to be connected to the arm of the wearer, aniupward movement of the arm placing the cord under tension, releasing said sear and allowing the 'projection of the firing pin, and releasable means for holding the plunger from operation by the spring,

3. A rearm of the character described, including a body adapted to be supported on the chest,

a cartridge holding chamber formed inthe body and opening toward the front of the body, a firing pin disposed behind the chamber, a plunger disbehnd the rear end of the cartridge chamber and operating in a plane at right angles to the axis of the firing pin and having a cam projection engaging with the iiring pin to project it, a sear operatively engaging said plunger and holding it with its cam projection out of engagement with the ring pin, a spring urging the plunger in a direction to engage the cam projection with the firing pin, a cord' operatively engaged with the scar and adapted to be connected to the arm of the wearer, an upward movement of the arm placing the cord under tension, releasing said sear and allo-wing the projection of the firing pin, releasable and means for holding the plunger from operation by the spring, comprising a spring projected safety pin operatively engageable with the Sear to prevent its retraction, and a member flexibly engaged with said pin to retract it upon a pull on the member.

4. A rearm oi the character described, including a body adapted to be supported on the chest and formed of an outer section and an inner section detachably engaged with each other, the outer section having a plurality of cartridge chamlbers and opening through the front of the outer,

section, the inner section carrying a plurality of iiring pins disposed one behind each of the cartridge chambers and projectible thereinto, a plunger extending at right angles to the ring pins and having a plurality of cam projections adapted to engage the firing pins and project them, a spring urging the plunger in a direction to carry its cam'projections against the firing pins, a scar adapted to operatively engage the plunger to hold it in its retracted position against the action of the spring, a trigger operatively engaged with the sear, and a cord extending from the trigger and adapted to be connected to the body of the wearer.

5. A irearm of the character described, including a body adapted to be supported on the chest and formed of an outer section and an inner section detachably engaged with each other, the outer section having a plurality of cartridge chambers and opening through the front of the outer section, the inner section carrying a plurality of ring pins disposed one behind each of the cartridge chambers and projectible thereinto, a plunger extending at right angles to the iiring pins and having a plurality of cam projections adapted to engage the firing pins and project them, a spring urging the plunger in a direction to carry its cam projections against the firing pins, a sear adapted to operatively engage the plunger to hold it in its retracted position against the action of the spring, a trigger operatively engaged with the sear, a cord extending from the trigger and adapted to be connected to the body of the wearer, a safety pin mounted in the rear section, a spring projecting the pin into operative engagement with the sear to hold the sear from retraction under the action of said cord, and means connected to the safety pin whereby it may be retracted.

6. A rearm of the character described, adapted to be supported upon the chest of a wearer and having a front section and a rear section detachably connected to each other and the iront section having two sets of cartridge chambers therein, the cartridge chambers of each set being disposed in transverse alinement, a plurality of ring pins mounted in the rear section in alinement with the several chambers and adapted to be projected into engagement with the cartridges in said chambers, a longitudinally movable plunger disposed behind each series of ring pins, each plunger having a plurality of cam projections acting to project the ring pins when the plunger is moved in one direction, the rear section having two longitudinally extending chambers, a head mounted in each chamber and connected tothe corresponding plunger, springs disposed in said chambers and urging the heads in a direction to carry the plungers against the ring pins, each head having a shank extending out through the end of the section whereby the head may be manually retracted, a pair of sears, one for each head and carried in the rear section and adapted, when moved in one position, to engage in front of the head and prevent the projection of the head in the corresponding plunger, a trigger for each sear pivoted within the rear section and extending out laterally thereof, and cords extending from the triggers and adapted to be connected to the wrists of the wearer.

7. A firearm of the character described, adapted to be supported upon the chest of a wearer and having a front section and a rear section de tachably connected to each other and the front section having two sets of cartridge chambers therein, the cartridge chambers of each set being disposed in transverse alinement, a plurality of iiring pins mounted in the rear section in alineinent with the several chambers and adapted to be projected into engagement with the cartridges in said chambers, a longitudinally movable plunger disposed behind each series of ring pins, each plunger having a plurality of cam projections acting to project the ring pins when the plunger is moved in one direction, the rear section having two longitudinally extending chambers, a head mounted in each chamber and connected to the corresponding plunger, springs disposed in said chambers and urging the heads in a direction to carry the plungers against the iring pins, each head having a shank extending out through the end of the section whereby the head lmay be manually retracted, a pair of sears, one for each head and carried in the rea-r section and adapted, when moved in one position, to engage in front of the head and prevent the projection of the head in the corresponding plunger, a trigger for each Sear pivoted within the rear section and extending out Vlaterally thereof, cords extending from the trig- 

